Players to watch: First Seattle Seahawks-Buffalo Bills faceoff in 4 years
SEATTLE - Amari Cooper will play his second game for the Buffalo Bills when they visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at Lumen Field, host of the 2026 World Cup.
Seattle will hope to continue getting the ball to running back Kenneth Walker III after he had 14 carries for 69 yards in last Sunday's win over Atlanta.
RELATED: How to watch Seahawks vs. Bills, other NFL games in Week 8
The Bills are 5-2 and the Seahawks are 4-3. The teams last played nearly four years ago. Cooper showed chemistry with Josh Allen in the Bills' 34-10 win over Tennessee last Sunday, a few days after he was acquired in a trade from Cleveland.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) celebrates with Tyrel Dodson (0) after returning a fumble for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons , Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn And
Bills player to watch
Amari Cooper. The newly acquired wide receiver has an opportunity to build on his four-catch, 66-yard, 1 TD debut against Tennessee on Sunday, five days after being traded by Cleveland. The 30-year-old quickly showed glimpses of chemistry with Allen and a sure-handed ability in dropping just one pass — something Cooper uncharacteristically struggled with in his first six games with the Browns.
Seahawks player to watch
RB Kenneth Walker III. Walker had 69 yards on 14 carries last week despite battling an illness, with one rushing and one receiving touchdown.
Seattle is trying to get Walker the ball more following a two-week span where he wasn’t much of a factor on offense and if he feels fully healthy the Seahawks can take advantage of a Bills defense that gives up an average of 132.9 rushing yards per game.
Key matchup
Cooper vs. the Seattle secondary. Riq Woolen looks likely to play after sitting out the past two games with an injury, but Tre Brown did not practice Wednesday. If Brown is out, Josh Jobe and Nehemiah Pritchett would step in at cornerback if Pritchett is able to play. Jobe had six tackles against the Falcons.
Key injuries
Seahawks WR DK Metcalf is listed as doubtful after he suffered a MCL sprain against the Falcons. The Seahawks don’t expect it to be a long-term injury.
Woolen (ankle) returned to practice this week and is expcted to play after missing the past two games.
CB Nehemiah Pritchett (ankle), OL George Fant (knee), and CB Tre Brown (ankle) are all listed as questionable.
Series notes
The Bills and Seahawks have only played three times since 2012, and Seattle is 2-1 in those matchups.
The first meeting came on Oct. 30, 1977. The Seahawks won, 56-17.
The teams last faced off at Seattle on Nov. 7, 2016.
The Bills' most recent win at Seattle came on Nov. 28, 2004, when they beat the Seahawks 38-9.
Stats and stuff
The Seahawks need four more wins to reach 400 victories in franchise history.
QB Geno Smith needs one more 300-yard game to tie Matt Hasselbeck for second for most 300-yard games in a season in franchise history with four.
Smith also needs 74 attempts to pass Rick Mirer for fifth place on Seattle’s passing attempts list with 1,524, and ranks in fifth in completions (982), passing yards (10,626) and passing touchdowns (63).
Smith has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his past 11 games, going back to last season.
Walker needs two touchdowns to pass Chris Carson for sixth on Seattle’s rushing touchdowns list with 25.
LBs Derick Hall and Boye Mafe have combined for nine sacks this season, with Hall contributing five and Mafe contributing four.
The Seahawks are one of five teams with two players that each have at least four sacks.
Seattle’s defense forced three turnovers against the Falcons, after combing for just one over the previous five games.
Metcalf needs 142 receiving yards to pass Steve Largent for the most in a player’s first six seasons in franchise history with 6,042.
Fantasy tip
If Metcalf is unable to play on Sunday, the Seahawks will look to their other receiving options to fill the void. Lockett sees plenty of attention already, but players such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo and Laviska Shenault could see some added targets.
MORE NEWS FROM FOX SEATTLE
Viral TikTok sends Snohomish, WA coffee stand into a frenzy
Former WA prosecutor indicted in King County Jail drug smuggling ring
Auburn, WA woman found alive in Mexico after reported missing on Oct. 13
Teen charged in Covington crash that killed 21-month-old
Everything to know about WA's 2024 initiatives on the Nov. ballot
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily Fox Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX Seattle FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.